Feedback on examination performance and critical errors

In the 2025 autumn edition of the Candidate Lounge we reported on our meeting with the Candidate Reference Group and shared we would start exploring ways to incorporate more feedback in the examination results.

The first phase of this work has progressed, and we are pleased to report that starting from Period 3, 2025 (commencing in mid-late August), candidates who fail a station or a task because they have made a critical error will be able to see that reflected in their statement of results.

Critical errors occur when a candidate performs either

• an incorrect procedure, or
• a correct procedure at an incorrect site.

While a critical error may not lead to an overall failure for the cluster that is being assessed, it does lead to a ‘fail’ score for the task or station where the error was made as the procedure was not completed in accordance with the instructions provided.

As already mentioned, we will keep you updated as the next phases of this work progress in the coming months and hope this additional information will assist you in completing the assessment process.